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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. chest — a box
  4. craft — a skill
  5. chest — of your body
  6. chest — of your body
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bear — the animal
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. content — the amount
  12. cell — in biology
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — a trail
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. cell — a phone
  17. swing — to play on
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. swing — music
  20. craft — boats
  21. bear — the animal
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com